JobScout Gamifies Internet Education Skills for Job Seekers
San Francisco, CA, June 05, 2012 --(PR.com)-- JobScout Expands Availability to Library Counties with Worst Employment Rates. Internet Skills Education Program for Job Seekers Increasing Access in Nearly 200 Libraries Across California.
JobScout, the online social media platform designed to get Californians back to work through teaching Internet skills and job-hunting techniques, is expanding to meet the growing needs of the unemployed in the areas in California hardest hit by the recession. Beginning in June 2012, more library jurisdictions will be joining jobscout in its mission to get Californians back to work. New jurisdictions include the Imperial County Library, which maintains the highest unemployment rate in the state. At 26.8 percent of its population without work, the employment rate in Imperial County is nearly double that of any other California county.
California unemployment numbers fell .01 percent to around 10.9 percent of the population in April 2012, according to the California Employment Development Department.* Although signs of progress and change are slowly peeking through the foggy economic climate, there are still millions of Californians enduring the uncertainty of unemployment. With 1 in 5 Californians lacking the necessary Internet skills needed to find a job in today’s marketplace, unemployment remains a critical problem that calls for new solutions.
“jobscout is now available in nearly 200 libraries across the state,” said Christina Gagnier, jobscout’s founder and CEO. “This is another small step to bridging the digital divide by not only offering all Internet users simple and easy access to today’s current technologies, but also guidance on how to use those tools and skills to find employment.”
By using social gaming and standards of the web, jobscout creates a safe and accessible entry point for users to educate themselves with digital literacy skills. Each user assumes the role of a "scout" on a digital discovery “trail” while absorbing and retaining useful Internet skills. In the end, users implement their skills, insert themselves in today’s technological market and find employment. It is an interactive journey through the key skills and processes of job hunting, including fundamentals such as searching job sites, resume writing, submitting online applications and peer-to-peer networking.
Through the use of game design, jobscout teaches basic digital literacy skills by engaging users in self-paced online activities that focus on internet competencies, assisting users in mastering these skills to apply online for employment and allowing other users to network on and offline.
While boasting a custom resume builder and built-in job search function, jobscout users can earn badges for completing lessons on everything from Internet browsers, to how to create social network profiles and use them to the fullest extent.
After launching in December 2011 with participation from the San Jose Public Library, the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, the Yolo County Library and the County of Los Angeles Public Library, the addition of these Imperial County Library means jobscout will be a much-needed resource for the unemployed digital non-natives throughout California and the nation.
About jobscout
jobscout is the first in a series of online learning tools based on the Technology Resources and Internet Learning (TRAIL) technology, which is designed to teach fundamental digital literacy skills and help people apply them to aspects of their work, education, civic involvement and health. jobscout uses game design to teach and reinforce basic digital literacy skills particularly for those populations traditionally disenfranchised by the digital divide by 1) engaging users in self-paced online activities that focus on digital literacy competencies, 2) assisting users in mastering these skills in order to apply online for a job and 3) enabling users to network on and offline. www.myjobscout.org
About REALPOLITECH
REALPOLITECH is a digital public relations and web strategy consultancy. The firm focuses on the development of customizable, interactive campaigns and websites for dynamic public and private sector projects. Through web development and real-time and social digital public relations solutions, REALPOLITECH recruits participants, creating the most valuable asset for any business or cause: digital citizens. www.realpolitech.com
About the California State Library
The California State Library advises, consults with, and provides technical assistance to California’s public libraries. It directs state and federal funds to support local public libraries and statewide library programs, and services. http://www.library.ca.gov/
About the Link Americas Foundation
The Link Americas Foundation fosters collaborative initiatives demonstrating the value of Technology Serving Humanity in the areas of Life, Information, Nature, Knowledge (LINK). The foundation supports educational, environmental and social development, and research projects that further LINK objectives by promoting strategic alliances for systemic and sustained change.
http://www.linkamericas.org/
*State of California Employment Development Department Labor Market Information, 2012; http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/
Contact:
Josh Bradley
415.735.4035
bradley@discovertrail.com
JobScout, the online social media platform designed to get Californians back to work through teaching Internet skills and job-hunting techniques, is expanding to meet the growing needs of the unemployed in the areas in California hardest hit by the recession. Beginning in June 2012, more library jurisdictions will be joining jobscout in its mission to get Californians back to work. New jurisdictions include the Imperial County Library, which maintains the highest unemployment rate in the state. At 26.8 percent of its population without work, the employment rate in Imperial County is nearly double that of any other California county.
California unemployment numbers fell .01 percent to around 10.9 percent of the population in April 2012, according to the California Employment Development Department.* Although signs of progress and change are slowly peeking through the foggy economic climate, there are still millions of Californians enduring the uncertainty of unemployment. With 1 in 5 Californians lacking the necessary Internet skills needed to find a job in today’s marketplace, unemployment remains a critical problem that calls for new solutions.
“jobscout is now available in nearly 200 libraries across the state,” said Christina Gagnier, jobscout’s founder and CEO. “This is another small step to bridging the digital divide by not only offering all Internet users simple and easy access to today’s current technologies, but also guidance on how to use those tools and skills to find employment.”
By using social gaming and standards of the web, jobscout creates a safe and accessible entry point for users to educate themselves with digital literacy skills. Each user assumes the role of a "scout" on a digital discovery “trail” while absorbing and retaining useful Internet skills. In the end, users implement their skills, insert themselves in today’s technological market and find employment. It is an interactive journey through the key skills and processes of job hunting, including fundamentals such as searching job sites, resume writing, submitting online applications and peer-to-peer networking.
Through the use of game design, jobscout teaches basic digital literacy skills by engaging users in self-paced online activities that focus on internet competencies, assisting users in mastering these skills to apply online for employment and allowing other users to network on and offline.
While boasting a custom resume builder and built-in job search function, jobscout users can earn badges for completing lessons on everything from Internet browsers, to how to create social network profiles and use them to the fullest extent.
After launching in December 2011 with participation from the San Jose Public Library, the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, the Yolo County Library and the County of Los Angeles Public Library, the addition of these Imperial County Library means jobscout will be a much-needed resource for the unemployed digital non-natives throughout California and the nation.
About jobscout
jobscout is the first in a series of online learning tools based on the Technology Resources and Internet Learning (TRAIL) technology, which is designed to teach fundamental digital literacy skills and help people apply them to aspects of their work, education, civic involvement and health. jobscout uses game design to teach and reinforce basic digital literacy skills particularly for those populations traditionally disenfranchised by the digital divide by 1) engaging users in self-paced online activities that focus on digital literacy competencies, 2) assisting users in mastering these skills in order to apply online for a job and 3) enabling users to network on and offline. www.myjobscout.org
About REALPOLITECH
REALPOLITECH is a digital public relations and web strategy consultancy. The firm focuses on the development of customizable, interactive campaigns and websites for dynamic public and private sector projects. Through web development and real-time and social digital public relations solutions, REALPOLITECH recruits participants, creating the most valuable asset for any business or cause: digital citizens. www.realpolitech.com
About the California State Library
The California State Library advises, consults with, and provides technical assistance to California’s public libraries. It directs state and federal funds to support local public libraries and statewide library programs, and services. http://www.library.ca.gov/
About the Link Americas Foundation
The Link Americas Foundation fosters collaborative initiatives demonstrating the value of Technology Serving Humanity in the areas of Life, Information, Nature, Knowledge (LINK). The foundation supports educational, environmental and social development, and research projects that further LINK objectives by promoting strategic alliances for systemic and sustained change.
http://www.linkamericas.org/
*State of California Employment Development Department Labor Market Information, 2012; http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/
Contact:
Josh Bradley
415.735.4035
bradley@discovertrail.com
Contact
JobScout
Josh Bradley
415.735.4035
www.MyJobScout.org
JobScout Media Kit:
http://www.slideshare.net/MyJobScout/job-scout-media-kit-052112-2
Josh Bradley
415.735.4035
www.MyJobScout.org
JobScout Media Kit:
http://www.slideshare.net/MyJobScout/job-scout-media-kit-052112-2
Contact
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